Editor:
Of course no one wants to see Burns Lake lose our medevac from Baker Airport and I don't either. But I believe the cost that will be transferred to the property owners has been grossly misrepresented. Someone compared it to 12 cups of coffee. So of course most people say that is a no-brainer to keep our medevac.
The real cost for many homeowners will be hundreds over five years. And this tax will probably not go away. The directors of the regional district (and probably the village) will decide whether to continue it or not even after the debt is paid.
The airport society should have planned ahead for this repaving, which they had to know was coming. Many things could have been done to prevent this going to referendum. Fundraising, donation events, user fees, not spending so much on infrastructure on site which so few people use, etc.
What is the provincial government doing with all of our PST money?
What are they doing with all our provincial taxes? Building multi-million dollar bridges on the Lower Mainland, that's what. It would be a drop in the bucket for them to send a couple of million up here for our airport. Did we try hard enough? I didn't see any rallies in downtown Burns Lake with TV news reporters there.
Furthermore, I have a real problem with the rules of these referendums. Every eligible voter whether property owner or not gets a vote. That is preposterous. Why does Joe-renter get to decide that my taxes will go up?
And lastly, look at the rising cost of groceries, hydro, ICBC, PNG, you name it. No one is getting a raise, no one's pensions are going up, people are losing their jobs, mines are closing. This extra tax, along with everything else, might make some people walk away from their homes. There comes a time when you have to say, "enough." Find another way.
Paulette McKenzie
Burns Lake, BC